counterattacks

variants or counter-attacks
Definition of counterattacksnext
plural of counterattack
as in attacks
an attack made to counter an enemy's attack suddenly the tide of battle turned, and the rebels, who had been falling back, made a furious counterattack

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Example Sentences

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Recent Examples of counterattacks United had two shots knocked off the goal-line and Leeds failed to make the most of its frequent counterattacks but neither could find the net again. ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026 Bassong continued in the midfield through 2025, bringing that same intense defensive presence while jump-starting counterattacks. Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 30 Mar. 2026 Launch units can reposition quickly, reducing vulnerability to counterattacks. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 28 Mar. 2026 Considering that Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel for nearly a month, Israeli fatalities from Iran’s counterattacks have remained remarkably low thanks to the country’s air defense system, its early-warning sirens and publicly available bomb shelters. Rebecca Shabad, NBC news, 26 Mar. 2026 Oil and gas prices have soared this past month after Iran launched counterattacks that closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off about 20% of the world’s supply of oil from global markets. Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026 Our Middle East allies and embassies are bearing the brunt of counterattacks. Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Mar. 2026 Zelensky said late Monday that counterattacks by Ukrainian forces at eastern and southern points along the front line have wrecked Moscow’s plans for a March offensive. Jill Lawless, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026 Swift and punishing counterattacks. Ken Sugiura, AJC.com, 15 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for counterattacks
Noun
  • In recent years, a litany of violent, seemingly unprovoked attacks across Metro led to the deaths or severe injury of several passengers—a confirmation of Angelenos’ worst fears about the system.
    Oren Peleg, New Yorker, 9 May 2026
  • Earlier this week the United Nations blasted Israel over its strikes killing healthcare workers, saying the World Health Organization has recorded 151 such attacks resulting in 103 deaths and 230 injuries.
    Michael Loria, USA Today, 9 May 2026
Noun
  • Russia still controls roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory, while Kyiv has recently clawed back limited ground in counteroffensives.
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 24 Feb. 2026
  • Dynamic shifts on the battlefield — with large swaths of Ukrainian land changing hands in offensives and counteroffensives in the early years of the war — have since given way to a conflict of inches.
    Joanna Kakissis, NPR, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The girl reported the assaults to her elementary school teacher while Dixon was incarcerated on unrelated charges, according to court records.
    Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 9 May 2026
  • Sawtelle said Coogler also has been punished while awaiting trial in jail for being involved in assaults on other inmates.
    Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 8 May 2026
Noun
  • The cost of international benchmark Brent crude oil soared at the end of March, after Iranian counterstrikes in the Gulf region effectively closed a major oil trading corridor, the Strait of Hormuz.
    Sarah Davis, The Hill, 17 Apr. 2026
  • Ongoing strikes and counterstrikes on Persian Gulf refineries, pipelines, gas fields and tanker terminals threaten to the prolong the global economic pain for months, even years.
    Paul Wiseman, Fortune, 29 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Counterattacks.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/counterattacks. Accessed 14 May. 2026.

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